Local Politics and Democratization in Russia (BASEES/Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies)

This comprehensive study of local politics in Russia shows that the key reforms of local government, and the struggle to forge viable grassroots democracies have been inextricably linked to the wider struggle for power between the regions and the Kremlin, and to the specific nature of Russia’s highly politicized and negotiated form of asymmetrical federalism. During the Yeltsin era all attempts to create a universal and uniform system of local-self-government in the federation were a failure. Under the protection of their constitutions and charters, and the extra-constitutional rights and powers granted to them in special bilateral treaties, regional leaders, particularly in Russia’s 21 ethnic republics were able to instigate highly authoritarian regimes and to thwart the implementation key local government reforms. Thus, by the end of the Yeltsin era the number of municipalities, their type, status and powers, varied tremendously from region to region. Putin’s local government reforms also need to be viewed as an integral component of his wider centralizing political agenda, and his assault on the principles and practices of federalism. With the instigation of his ‘dictatorship of law’ and ‘power vertical’, Putin has thwarted the development of grassroots democracy and overseen the creation of local ‘electoral authoritarian’ regimes. Putin’s new system of local self-government marks a victory for the proponents of the ‘statist concept’ of local self-government over those who championed the ‘societal concept’, codified in Article 12 of the Russian Constitution. Overall, this book is an important resource for anyone seeking to understand politics in Putin’s Russia. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 List of appendices, figures, tables and boxes......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 14 Acknowledgements......Page 15 1 Introduction......Page 16 2 Russian federalism and local politics......Page 26 3 Local government in the USSR......Page 43 4 Local government reform under Yeltsin......Page 62 5 Local government reform and Putin's power vertical......Page 83 6 Fiscal federalism and local budget revenues......Page 97 7 Fiscal federalism and local budget expenditures......Page 121 8 Local elections and parties......Page 146 9 Local and regional executives......Page 184 10 ‘Electoral authoritarianism’ and Putin's 'electoral vertical'......Page 199 Conclusion......Page 214 Appendix 5.1......Page 219 Notes......Page 225 Bibliography......Page 266 Index......Page 283 With articles by a high quality set of contributors including Darrell Slider and Vladimir Gel'man, this title explores the increasingly authoritarian character of Putin's rule, especially in his second term since 2004. This book explores urban democracy in Russia, considering a wide range of cities of different types, and different political allegiances. Exploring urban democracy in Russia, this text considers a wide range of cities of different types, and different political allegiances. Cameron Ross. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [251]-267) And Index.